Ordained titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires on June 27, 1992.

Became archbishop of Buenos Aires on Feb. 28, 1998.

Received title ordinary for the Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an ordinary in their own rite on Nov. 30, 1998.

2001-present

Becomes a cardinal

Proclaimed cardinal by Pope John Paul II on Feb. 21, 2001.

Participated in conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.

Served as president of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from November 2005 to November 2011.

Other tidbits

Interesting facts, comments

Reportedly received the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election.

Despite being Argentina's top church official, Bergoglio never lived in the ornate church mansion in Buenos Aires, preferring a simple bed in a downtown room heated by a small stove. For years, he took public transportation around the city and cooked his own meals.

Couldn't prevent Argentina from becoming the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage or stop its president, Cristina Fernandez, from promoting free contraception and artificial insemination. When Bergoglio argued that gay adoptions discriminate against children, Fernandez compared his tone to "medieval times and the Inquisition."

Critics accuse him of failing to stand up publicly against the country's military dictatorship from 1976-1983, when victims and their relatives often brought first-hand accounts of torture, death and kidnappings.

Ordained titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires on June 27, 1992.

Became archbishop of Buenos Aires on Feb. 28, 1998.

Received title ordinary for the Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an ordinary in their own rite on Nov. 30, 1998.

Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, will be the next pope. Bergoglio, 76, is the first Jesuit and first Latin American pope.

Becomes a cardinal

Proclaimed cardinal by Pope John Paul II on Feb. 21, 2001.

Participated in conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.

Served as president of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from November 2005 to November 2011.

Reportedly received the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election.

Interesting facts, comments

Bergoglio never lived in the ornate church mansion in Buenos Aires, preferring a simple bed in a downtown room heated by a small stove. For years, he took public transportation around the city.

When Bergoglio argued that gay adoptions discriminate against children, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez compared his tone to "medieval times and the Inquisition."

Critics accuse him of failing to stand up publicly against the country's military dictatorship from 1976-1983, when victims and their relatives often brought first-hand accounts of torture, death and kidnappings.

Had part of one lung removed when he was young, according to the Vatican.

Pope Francis speaks from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. (Photo: Luca Bruno, AP)

Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio, elected Pope Francis waves from the window of St. Peter's Basilica's balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. (Photo: Vincenzo Pinto, AFP/Getty Images)

Payton Kovanda, Grace Thomas and Becky Barjas, left to right, wait for the televised appearance of Pope Francis while watching with other second-graders at St. Paul Catholic school in Valparaiso, Ind. (Photo: Andy Lavalley, AP)

Pope Francis appears on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on March 13 in Vatican City. Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th pontiff, the first from the Americas. (Photo: Peter Macdiarmid, Getty Images)

White smoke billows from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. The 115 voting cardinals took five votes over two days to reach their decision, which required a two-thirds majority. (Photo: Peter Macdiarmid, Getty Images)

Black smoke billows from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel after the College of Cardinals failed to elect a new pope during morning voting in Vatican City. A conclave of cardinals is choosing a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who stepped down as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. (Photo: Dan Kitwood, Getty Images)

Nuns wait for the chimney smoke in St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope. Seventy-seven of the 115 cardinals must write down the same name to elect one of their members as the 266th pontiff. (Photo: Oded Balilty, AP)

Black smoke billows from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that no decision has been reached during balloting on the second day of voting. (Photo: Peter Macdiarmid, Getty Images)